Bruce Fessier First Inductee to the Coachella Valley Media Hall of Fame

On February 28, 2024, at Thunderbird Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Bruce Fessier became the first inductee to the Coachella Valley Media Hall of Fame for his contributions to local journalism for more than 40 years. It has been an extreme honor for Joshua Tree Voice to have this tenured writer contribute stories and insights to our publication after a long career with the Desert Sun. Former Desert Sun editor, Greg Burton, introduced Fessier calling him a “champion for tomorrow” as he referenced Fessier’s work which included assisting Sonny Bono in launching the Palm Springs Film Festival, covering Pearl Jam at the Empire Polo Club, and nurturing and critiquing the development of the McCallum Theatre. Fessier has journaled our desert communities’ events and people into posterity. Writing with the same passion for our local artists as he did Frank Sinatra, his tireless and intense efforts have given our community’s history and culture a voice that will be remembered throughout the ages.

Moved to tears by Burton’s introduction, Fessier graciously accepted the award with a hug to its presenter. He then eloquently thanked Jane, his wife of 40 years, rediting her as the foundation for all his successes.

“I was more emotionally moved by the induction than I could have imagined,” shared Fessier. “My former editor, Greg Burton, gave me an introduction on par with Bono’s presentation of Frank Sinatra at the 1994 Grammy Awards. He wasn’t there for most of the things he said I did. He put into beautiful words what I’ve always tried to do, which is to contextualize the past by how it informs the future. When he called me ‘a champion for tomorrow,’ I got choked up. He got me because he gets me.”

“The Coachella Valley Journalism Foundation produced a lovely inaugural event,” Fessier added, “which we could have expected from an event chairman named Randy Lovely. I look forward to supporting its ventures and advocating for many other worthy journalists to join me in the Coachella Valley Media Hall of Fame.”

Other worthy inductees included Karen Devine, anchor for KESQ; Frank Jones, owner/publisher of Palm Springs Life; Milt Jones, and owner/publisher of Palm Springs Life (posthumous).

To learn more about or to contribute to the Coachella Valley Journalism Foundation, go to https://cvjf.org/cvjfhall-of-fame/